Aliens vs Predator Extinction Review

THE LIST - docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1_K3ziSxT9zcUUGCddS… I'm sorry for anyone who thought this might be on AVP 1 or 2. We have to get through this.

My favourite feature from this game was that the Predaliens grew more spikes every time they were grievously harmed in battle. If they survived enough fights they would molt their skins and become even spikier bois.

"It's quiet" cameo is good.

“I can only hope nobody died on he way to that movie.” I saw that film and I assure you had I known death was one of the options I would have taken it.

"This is why audio engineers are one of many unsung heroes of video games." slow clap

3:25 "We're not getting to Mr. Bones just yet" DO NOT PLAY WITH MY HEART

Fun fact: I live in Alaska and bought a ford taurus. The first year I had it before winter we had to change out my radiator which was a bit of an involved process including removing the whole ass dashboard/steering wheel/glovebox the whole shebang. Anyway back in there I found a copy of this game for the ps2. Still have it in fact. Have never played it beyond the first mission though.

"and it really shows" -Mandalore, some point in a review

I played this game a truly shameful amount when I was young, but there's one detail you left out that defends why Aliens take so long to produce. Marines and Predators can only order 6 troops at once, Aliens are only limited by how many bodies and eggs they have. After large scale attacks on a hive, with lots and lots of bodies and a handful of upgraded eggs, I've produced 30 units at once which is far beyond anything the other two factions can manage. It's one of the reasons that I think there's actually a really, really good RTS buried under technology limitations and rushed development. If a proper remake came out today, with a higher population limit and more time put into polish, I honestly think it could be my favourite RTS. I doubt it'd ever happen, though; basically no one knows or cares about this game.

"Shrapnel is a fast little friend and you never know when he's visiting" is a fuckin' awesome line.

"Alien vs Predator vs Brown vs Board of Education. It's a thrash metal track!" Oh my god.

The pathfinding thing where characters wander off is a "we need to split" horror trope

Aliens vs Predator: Extinction is the most underrated RTS game ever. I played the game like absolute hell. The Xenomorphs and Predators have the best missions.

Ok, hear me out: Alien slime rancher.

"Shrapnel is a fast little friend, and you never know when he’s visiting." -Mandalore, 2020

In those insanely difficult early Predator campaign missions, it's the comm techs that call every existing human unit on the map to track and rush whoever hit the comm tech. The level was balanced for fighting those enemies in small groups at a time, yet someone decided the comm techs were too much of an Achilles' heel. So their quick fix was to make targeting comm techs early nearly impossible. So anyway, if they rush, they will somehow track your unit's every movement, and follow him until he's dead, before returning to their posts. They don't track your unit's position directly, but rather follow his path, as if tracing footprints. This is advantageous, as it allows you to run in wide sweeping loops buying a bit more time than if they'd been constantly running directly at your unit's position. A good solution is to know the map well and chart a safe course with a hunter, making sure he never gets cornered, and never leads enemies to the shrine. Use him to hit and run, firing plasma caster backwards as he flees. The android will run faster than the other human units, and thus take the first hits. Once a group's android is down, cloak the hunter and allow as many enemies as possible to reach his position before another android approaches. Whenever humans reach him, but can't see him, they lose his trail and give up the search. As the next android approaches, again run away, keeping just ahead of him, while firing backwards. Eventually, you'll be able to have a spearmaster approach groups of enemies undetected, assassinate one at a time with spear, running away until the partial detection (from attacking) wears off, and head back in for another kill. It's tedious but can be a fun challenge to pull off. The whole while you're accumulating honor in the clan, and requesting reinforcements at the shrine until you have enough backup that you can bring a full assault to finish them off. The theory behind this level design was to force the player not to swarm with predators like you would as humans or aliens. The predators consider it more honorable to utilize skill and strategy to wear down and defeat many enemies with only a couple predator units. If you fail to escape with the hunter, then you lose only that unit, since once he's defeated, all the humans will return to their designated posts and patrols, They won't seek out your shrine as long as you don't lead them near it.

What I absolutely love about this game is the beastiary. It didn't only point out different strengths or weaknesses or abilities, it also justified them with lore, both old and expanded. I loved reading about why the Xenomorph Runner's upgrade suddenly caused it's attacks to become poisonious, or why the Predator Vanguard's scythe could kill anything-no matter how powerful- in a minimum of 4 hits. Heck, even why Predators get more resources if you just have smaller squads of lower-tier units collecting all the trophies instead of expensive armies. Heck, even 'new' types of Predators and Aliens such as Military Predators and Xenomorph Ravagers had a lot of work put into their 'backstories'. And what I-funnily enough- hated the most was the sound of the 'pop' whenever the beacon(Is it a beacon?) on the Commtech's back flashed. Speaking of Marines being annoying, The Predator 3 mission became hilariously trivial if you upgraded Stalkers immediatly-bar none the most powerful upgrade in the game- and spammed them along with getting vision upgrades. Good times!

Mandalore you sly suit of armor, you thought i'd miss the "It's quiet" at 6:58, didnt you? :P

"Well the doctor's in." Doctor cures patient with a very effective "syringe"

Man this is one of those games that's frustrating because you can SEE the glimpses of the truly amazing game it could be behind weird design choices and flaws that feel like they exist because it was rushed or cut.